Ophthalmoscope



Patented 1s, 1933 .y 1 f Y This invention relates to ophthalmoscopes. and

' more particularly to hand ophthalmoscopes. It has for its object to provide an improved hand ophthalmosccpe with the use of which the quality oi the retinal image may be readily improved,

espe'ciallyby the elimination'of the well known nare spot which is normally present' in the ileld oi.' view when instruments ot the usual kind are employed. .This flare spot which is generally known as cornealv reilex is caused mainly by the light which lsreected from the glossy surfaces oi the eye. particularly the front of' the cornea, and although it can be reduced somewhat in size by making the light sourcel as'small as possible tion. It has been found that the use of polarized.A

iight in anv ophthalmoscope enables the corneal' reex to be entirely cut out. since the light re- UNITED lfst-Tar,1 -:skieur -ormmoscom 1 v crearla nengy Landon, England l Arpication .May zz, 1935 sermuo. um In Great Britain Jrly 5,1934 y Y somma (ctmsem` ENT famo-ifi before entering the 'paticnt's eye. the polarizingl means. can conveniently be interposed 'between the light source and the mirror. both the polarizing and analyzing prisms being. i!- desired. mounted so as to be capable of rotation about the optical axis.l The invention 4valso provides an ophthalmoscope comprising. in combination' a source o! light, a condensinglens'system, amirror upon which the light source can be focussed by the condensing system, which mirror serves to direct thelight into the patient's eye, a polarizing prism transmitting the light beam to the mirror. and an analyzing prism disposed behind the mirror for intexcepting the polarized light rangement of a hand ophthalmoscop'e provided ected by tue glossy surfaces appears to be sub. l

stantially unchanged through the reflection l. e.

remains polarized, whilethe rays forming the image i. e. those 'passing from the retina to the eye. of the observer are unpolarized, and consequently can be separated from the polarized light rays which would otherwise cause flare and haze. In the preferred arrangement a plane polarizer is included between the usual illuminating means and the patient's e'ye. while a second plane polarizer or analyzer is traversed by the light passing from thc patientis eye t'o the eye of the observer.

Suitable means are', of course. provided whereby one or both ofthe polarizers can be rotated on the optical axisA for varying the plane o1 polarization.

The invention further provides in a ophthalm scope or .like instrument.' means i'orv polarizing the light used for illuminating the patients eye prior to the entry of said light through the cornea,-

'light -reected from the suriace'oi the cornea o! the patient's eye. In au opthalmoscope in which the light from tbesouroe isdeilected by amirror with polarizing and analyzing means: Figure 2 is a side elevation oi' one construction of hand ophthalmoscope: and Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the polarizer and related parts of Figure?.

n The light from a source iii pass through a condensing system il and thence through a lens i2 which brings the beam -to a focus substantially at a point i3 upon the usual ophthalmoscope mirror Il, said mirror 'being provided witha 'central aperture I5 in lthe usual way for permitting the patients eye to be observed. The invention is not. of course, restricted to the use of centrally apertured-mirrom Il. The mirror i4 may. for example, be constituted of one or more yglass plates which-in addition to reflecting the illuminating beam into the eye. serve to transmit the image-producing beam. The beamof light is plane polarizedhowever before meeting the mirror il by a Nicol prism i6, so that the beam I1 entering the iris |18 of the patient's eye lndicated at I9 'is also plane polarized and serves to illuminate the fundus 2l.

Ihe rays of llight reilected by the iundus however are depolarized to a certain extent by the time they leave the iront surface of the patients cornea, and passing through the aperture it,

and i! necessary through a lens 2l, produce l.

,virtual image-in the observers eye indicated at alyzer can be so adjusted relative .to the angular position o! the poiarizer i6 that it intercepts any desired mount or :ne non: -:maar o u direction otpolarization. This adjustment can, oi course', be effected by rotating either the -po- .iarizer i6 or the analyzer 23, while in some cases it may be found' desirable to'provide a .rotary adjustment onboth analyzer and polarizer. 'Ihe plane of polarization can thus beadiusted so that the mirror il brin'gs about the least amount oi deterioration in the`A illuminating light beam. Ii these two parts are placed in-A phase the 1'0 ophthalnioscope works in the uma! manner.` any light renectedfback Vfrom .the patients' cornea f passing through the analyzer 23 and thence pro-V ducing flare in the eye 22 o! the observer., By rotating-the analyzer 23, however., to the nequired extent.`this flare-producing reflected light Y which isgiot course. 'still plane polarized, can be 'prevented from entering the observers eye, the

vi2 and polarizer if. The described optical system is substantially identical with that in the ordinary hand ophthal-4 -4 25 moscope employed for direct visual observation,

with the exception, oi course.. oi the polarizer I B and analyzer 23. A hand instrument employing polarized light in Vaccordance with the invention can. therefore, be readily constructed' on the usual lines.A the lens 2i preferably forming one of a series of correction lenses similar to the usual practice Stops may also be employed, as is customary. .i

A constructions! embodiment oi the invention is shown in Figure 2, in which a hollow handle accommodates a dry battery (not shown) ior 'illuminating anelectric lamp bulb 37 forming the source ot light. The condensing system H is capable of being focussed Yby means of .a tinge:-

' do piece 38 carried on the usual stem 39 oi the ophthalrnoscope. while the lens l2 and diaphragm 24 are arranged in accordance with. Figure 1. The polariz'er i6 is. mounted in a rotatable housing 4|, and is capable of angular 'adjustment by 45 movement of a lever 40, extending through a slot A2, while the analyzer 23 is also ad'rangedlor anguiar adjustment about its axis by twisting 'the marginal portion 4I of the analyzer mounting.

It will be appreciated thatany suitable or known rneans may he employed for the' production and analysis of the polarized light, suitable devices. such as tourmaline, quartz. or glass or other reilectors being mentioned as examples.

'The construction of vthe mirror which is nor- 65 mally employed in hand ophthalmosoopes` requires some special consideration so as to reilect Jthe polarized light with the maximum emciersicy. and itis found that 'this can be increased byreducing the angle of incidence and reectio'n.

o0 Moreover; transparent glass reflectors have been found to be particularlyefiectual in reilecti'ng polarized light, although the ordinary silvered glass,

surface-silvered or polished metal types oi mir- -ror give satisfactory results when' the 'plane of 05 polarization oi the illuminating beam is correctly With a view to bringing the eye oi the observer into close prosimity to the mirror and the petient's eye, it is .desirable that the analyzer should I Y be comparatively short measured along the view ing axis, thus giving a comparatively large viewing angle. Moreover. oy arranging the usual ophthalmoscope mirror at the appropriate angle with regard to the axis of illumination so as to 75 produce polarization at the reecttng surface.

3.1.11;187 "s f 'J f "2.51"

the use'of. a separate polarizer maybe avoided, or alternatively the mirror .can be'litilized for augmenting the polarization oi the' light n I from the iliuminant to the patient's eye. V

whatrciaimis:

1. A handophthalmoscofpe n handl'e. a light. source carried by said handle.; Stem extending'upward from said handle and' providedon 'one side oi its upper end with a mirror lsupport. a mirror carried by the support'obl'ique- 1 ly with respect-to the ands oi the rays'from the light source so that it directs the lightiron: the light source into the patients eye, po l means between the light source and the a lens ysystem for focusing the light u substantially upon Vthe mirror. the mirror constructeur@ permit the polarized iight a; navel from the patlent's eye to the observer's eye. and

analyzing means carried at the other side-of the said upper end 'of the stern. between the back of zo.; the mirror andthe observez-'s eye for controlling 'the quantity of nare-producing lightentering the obsrverseye. said analyzing means being disposed close 'to the mirror and nextto the observers ,eye for allowing a wide Il eld oiz's' `vision to be obtained, said analyzing means being compara-tively lshort along the viewing axis in order that the observers -eyemay be positioned e in close proximity tothe back of the-mirror, the

mirror support being relatively Smallin order 30 that'the patients' eye may be .positioned at the iront of the mirrorin close 'proximity to the -mirror and the observers eye, the ophthalmoscope producing in the observers eye an erect and magnied virtual image ol. the interior oi 3'5 the patien-ts eye. and the ophthalmosoope being very small and light in order that it may be held in the hand by the handle so as to be supported between the patient's eye and the .observers eye.

2. A' hand ophthalmoscope comprising a .han- 40 dle, a light source carried by seid handle, a Stem extending upward from said handle and'provided on oneside'of its upper end with a mirror support, a mirror carried by the support obliquely with respect to the .axis `of the rays from 45 4the light source so that it directs the light from the light source into the patients eye, a condensing lens system between the light source and the mirror, polarizing means between the condens J ing system and the mirror. a lens system 'for to- 5g -cusing the polarized light substantially upon the mirror, the mirror being constructed to permit the polarized light to travel from the patient: eye to the observers eye, and analyzing means carried at the other side oi the said upper end of the stern between the back ol' the mirror and the observer's eye for controlling the quantity ol' 'ilare-producing polarized light entering the observer's eye. said analyzing means disposed close to the mirror and next to the ob- Q server's eye lor allowing a -wide iield oi' vision to 'be obtained, the analyzing means being oomparatively short alongithe viewing axis in .order that the observez-'s eye may be positioned in close proximity to the back of the mirror"I the support being relatively small in order thatfthe patients eye may be positioned at the front of the mirror inclosev proximity'to the mirror and the observer's eye. thc ophthalmoscope producing in the observer's eye an erect and magniiied 'virt. tual image o! the interior of the patient'x eye, and the ophthalmoscope being very small and light in order that it may be held in the hand by the handle so as to be supported .between the patient's eyeanci the observer'l eye. u

3.-.A hand ophthalmoscope comprising a Q a light sourcecarried by said handle, a condensing lens system capable. of focusing `movement 5 towards and away from the light source, polarizging' means in line with the'c'ondensing lens sys-` tem ior polarizing the light from the light source, A a stem extending upward from said handle and vprovided on one side'of its upper e-nd witha. mirrorjsuppom a mirror carried by the support dis- A. posed obliquelywith regard to the condensing lens system seas .to reiectthe polarized light into the eye of1 the'- patient. the mirror being constructed to permit the polarized light to travel Y from the patient's eye to the observers eye, a lens system for focusing the polarized light substantially upon the mirror, and' analyzing means care riel'l at the other side .of the .said upper end of;

the stem between the back of the mirror and the observer's eye,v with which Asaid analyzing means is contiguous. for controlling the Quantity of nare-producing polarized light entering the observers eye. said analyzing means being' dis- Y posed close to the mirror and next' to the observers eyeior allowing a wide eld oi vision to be obtained, the analyzing means being' compar- Vatively short along the viewing axis-in order that the observers eye may be positionedin close proximity to the b ack of the mirror, the mirror support being-relatively small in order that the patients eye may be' positioned at the iront oi'- the -mirror iri' close proximity to the mirror and the observers eye, the ophthalmoscope producing in the observer's eye an erect and magnieye, andthe ophthalmoscope being very small and light morder that it may be held in the hand bular handle, an electric battery in lsaici handle,

ed virtual image oi the interiorof the patient'sA by the handle so as to be 'supported between the patient's eye and the observerl'eye. I Y 4. A hand ophthaimoscope as set forth in' claim 2 provided with 'me'ansfor 'rotti-13 the polarizing means about its axis. l

s. A hand ophihaimsop comprising a haa-- die, an electric bulb 'supported thereby, a' oondensing 'lens system collecting light .from the' bulb. .a polarizing prism in the beam vemerging from the condenser, means (or rotating the polarizer about its axis, 'a Astern extendv.ing upward from st ld handle and pmvided onA one side 'of its upper end with a mirror support.

'a mirror carried 4by the support 'obllquely disposed in the-beam oi light'passing from the polarizer, a lens system for iomising the polarized' light substantially upon the mirror, the mirror being constructed to permit the polarized light to travel from the patient's eye to the observers v eye, an analyzing prism carried at the .other side of the said upper end ofthe stem in front of and close to themirror, Aand means for ro tating the analyzer about its axis, the analyzer being .comparatively short along the viewing axis lin order that the vobservers eye may be positioned in close proximity to the mirror on one side of `the mirror. the mirror support being relatively small in order that a patients veyemy 'be positioned on the said other side oi the mir- 

